The Waning Moon
by Sakurane
Summary: Inuyasha has died and Kagome and Sesshomaru are made temporary allies to face snake demons and their ressurected leader, which has power that rivals the Gods. Can Kagome and Sesshomaru work together, and develop their own powers and trust in one another, in order to save the Western Lands?
1. The End and the Beginning

_**I do not own any characters of Rumiko Takahashi.**_

_&.&.&.&.&.&_

_The archives of the House of the Moon tell of a holy miko, shining with a powerful light unlike the Feudal Era had ever seen before. Though not of noble blood, her compassion could thaw the hearts of both man and demon. As a child truly blessed by the heavens, The Demon Priestess, fighting alongside the gods and demons in the Battle of the Western Lands, ushered a new age of peace among man and demon alike._

…_Book of The House of the Moon…_

_&.&.&.&.&.&_

Kagome Higurashi realized that peace could not reign over the Feudal Era for long. She'd thought that with the destruction of the jewel, she'd actually gained her happy ending by returning to Inuyasha's side. She'd found love, another family, and found her true place as a Miko in Kaede's village.

But she'd only been staving off the inevitable. Bloodshed, war, and death were a reality in this world—and it really was as far removed from the Modern Era world as her mind could accept. Her fragile reality shatters one spring day, when she'd been returning from a neighboring village with Inuyasha. They'd dealt with a few average monkey demons that had been tormenting the local businesses, scaring them off for what Inuyasha had estimated would be several decades. Then, while they'd walked down the path, Inuyasha had suddenly stiffened and fallen to one knee, clutching at his heart.

Poison had felled the hanyou that had helped defeat Naraku. They'd lived in bliss for five years, and a simple fever, so seemingly mortal and torturous, had destroyed it all in a matter of days. Inuyasha had collapsed for good as soon as they'd reached Kaede's village, his body consumed with a heat that pervaded every cranny of their hut. Kagome had tucked him under blankets, expecting him to sweat it off with his demon immune system, but it soon became apparent that he was not healing. Kagome had used the last of her medicine from her era, but the fever didn't abate. She'd considered dragging Inuyasha to the Bone Eater's Well and taking him to a hospital, but everyone had dissuaded her of that idea—it hadn't been active since she'd come back for the last time. Sango had ridden Kirara to find Jinenji, but in the end, she'd been too late. Inuyasha, the most powerful hanyou, burned up in the night, with Kagome by his side.

Kagome had howled then, one of the most mournful sounds that had ever left her mouth. She'd screamed and yelled for as long as her throat had allowed. She was aware that she was saying "no" almost breathlessly, and her stomach felt hollow. She'd grasped at Inuyasha's red robe- the robe of the fire rat that had protected and clothed her on more than one occasion, an article of clothing that was so easily identifiable as Inuyasha's. She'd curled over him, her mouth to his neck, and stayed there for nearly three days before Sango had removed her slack body from his side.

Inuyasha's death shocked them all, for no matter how often they'd faced life-threatening danger together, they'd never truly believed that Inuyasha would leave them.

Miroku lead the funeral rites, but Kagome hardly remembered it at all. She'd replayedher memories of the rash hanyou, from the first moment that his golden eyes had pierced hers in the forest. Some beautiful words were shared from friends, and then Inuyasha's body was burned, since Rin had informed them that the Tenseiga's period of effectiveness had passed. Kagome had spoken only to remind them that his robe would have to be removed for the ceremony, or the fire would be useless. Inuyasha had been dressed in white instead of red. The embers burned for nearly a week. During that time, Kagome had not been the only one to suffer—Sango had suffered a miscarriage a few days later from the sorrow. The two women had mourned together, yet separately, for their lost loved ones—Kagome, who'd held an immortal vision of Inuyasha in her heart, and Sango, who'd never held her fourth child in her arms.

Kagome had thrown herself down into the Bone Eater's well, ignoring how she'd jarred her ankles, and wept. She'd clawed and beat the damp, hard earth with her fingers until all her energy was spent. If only the well had opened up _one more time, _Inuyasha would still be alive. If only the jewel hadn't disappeared. If only she'd been strong enough to force her way back home.

If only she'd never come to the Feudal Era to begin with.

**&.&.&.&.&**

**The idea of having a youkai clan being referred to as the "House of the Moon" was inspired by the story "Tales From the House of the Moon" by Resmiranda, so you should go give it a read! **


	2. First Signs

Kagome had been alone for nearly a year now.

Not completely alone, of course—She had Kaede, and Miroku, and Sango, and her other friends—but that sense of warmth and security that she'd had with Inuyasha had been ripped away from her. The raw feeling of loneliness was difficult to rid herself of, even being surrounded friends and family, rarely abated. She always expected Inuyasha's gruff voice to berate her for being so mopey, or calling her a fool, or throwing a careless arm around her shoulders while they sat by the fire… Sometimes, she turned around, some small part of her still expecting him to _be there._

She was grateful for the distraction of mentoring children of the village. She took special time with Rin, who was bright and eager to learn about nature, which didn't surprise Kagome, considering the child had grown up fending for herself. The comfort of a human village did very little for her. Rin and Kagome were like puzzle pieces that didn't quite fit in the village.

"Ye remind me much of my sister." Kaede had told Kagome one night in her hut. Kagome had looked up at the old woman, startled by those familiar words. She hadn't heard them in a very long time, though.

She tried very hard to be as good of a priestess as Kikyo, but much of her patience had given way to sadness since Inuyasha's death. Kagome did not remember the priestess as a mortal, and only knew her as a mournful, tortured, and vengeful woman that death had rendered her. But she did not say this to Kaede, who was eternally loyal to her sister. Kagome thought that there must have been something truly beautiful about Kikyo, for so many to fall in love with her. From what she'd heard, Kikyo had been the epitome of a regal holy woman.

If Kagome could see herself, she would have noted that though there was a new sorrow in her eyes, what was even more reminiscent of Kikyo was the ethereal way that she carried herself. Both she and Kikyo had gained that from the shared experience of growing up far too soon.

Kagome was not oblivious to the growing restlessness of Rin, and knew it was because of Sesshomaru's absence. The Lord hadn't been to see Rin personally in over a year, sending Jaken instead to assuage the girl's fears. His distance troubled Kagome, because she'd been called away to neighboring villages to defend against demons with much more frequency than she had in past months. The momentary silence after Naraku's death, and the descent of Sesshomaru to the Western Lands, had been short-lived. She supposed that it was inevitable that some evil would begin to stir again, with the threat of Naraku gone.

Then, finally, the wayward dog demon appeared without warning, terrifying the villagers before they recognized him. Kagome, who was gathering herbs with Rin and Satoko, another village girl, spotted Sesshomaru's rippling white pelt, which seemed to expand for miles across the sky behind him. He landed gracefully in the field before them, his expression inscrutable as always.

Though Sesshomaru was not a stranger to Sesshomaru, his icy stare sent her running back to the village with as much respect as she could manage. Kagome let her go, and turned her attention to the intimidating demon before her. Sesshomaru was dressed in an array of some of the most lavish cloths that Kagome had ever seen, rival to that of nobles. He'd always dressed well before, but now he held himself with the proud air of a true demon Lord. Kagome didn't know very much about youkai hierarchy, given that Inuyasha had been mostly ignorant of his own heritage, but she knew that Sesshomaru now held a very high standing in the House of the Moon, the clan of the west that had previously been lead by his father, Inu No Taisho. It surprised her, sometimes, to see Sesshomaru and see the growth in him. Although he was hundreds of years old, he still matured before her eyes.

"Sesshomaru, welcome back." Kagome greeted him, grinning when Rin dropped her basket and ran full force at Sesshomaru's middle. The girl didn't move Sesshoumaru an inch, but the Lord allowed her to snuggle into his haori.

"Welcome home, my Lord! Rin was starting to think that you'd forgotten her!"

"Do not be so foolish." Sesshomaru said.

"Would you like a cup of tea? You look as if you've traveled a long way." And he did, for all his immaculateness, Sesshomaru did appear a bit fatigued.

"Very well," Sesshomaru agreed. Rin remained glued to his side as they walked back to the village. When people saw them coming, they cleared the road—some out of apprehension at Sesshomaru's presence, others out of respect. Kagome suspected that Sesshomaru didn't much care which. The entered Kagome's small hut, and settled on cushions before a table. Kagome went about making tea, while Rin told Sesshomaru of what she'd learned, and the local villagers.

"I got in trouble for playing out in the forest for too long, but I've been very good, my Lord! The old ladies even let me work for them for a while! And Kagome has told me that she'll take me on a journey next time she's called away, because I've shown such an a—and api—"

"An _aptitude," _Kagome supplied with amusement.

"Right, she told me that I show an aptitude for plant-life and healing."

"Truly, she's a natural." Kagome agreed, pouring tea for the dog demon and the girl.

Kagome saw Sesshomaru sniff his cup. "Rice tea might not ben up to your standards, but this is one of the few teas that Rin will drink." He drank, but clearly out of politeness.

"You are enjoying your time here, then?" Sesshomaru addressed Rin. He asked variations of the same question every visit, and Kagome now realized that Sesshomaru was invested in Rin's happiness. His patience proved that.

"Yes, my lord! I miss Ah-Un, and Jaken, but the villagers are finally starting to accept me."

"Good." Sesshomaru said. He pulled a folded up kimono, held together by ribbon, from his robes and handed it to Rin. Kagome thought that this was one of the finest gifts that Sesshomaru had given the girl yet. It was a rich crimson cloth, what looked like silk, with embroidered purple and black blossoms on the sleeves and hems. Rin did not have her usual gap-toothed smile, however, and held the kimono on her lap.

"What is wrong, child? Is it not to your liking?" Sesshomaru said lowly.

"I don't need a kimono, my lord. I just want you." Rin blurted out, and then bowed her head. The expression on Sesshomaru's face was as close to incredulous as he could get, his eyes widening in shock. Rin bit her lip and looked ashamed by her impulsive words.

Kagome took pity on the girl, and the Lord. "Rin, why don't you go collect that basket that you dropped back in the field? Sesshomaru and I would like to catch up."

Sesshomaru frowned in a way that made it clear that he had no such inclination. At least he didn't look down on her like a bug beneath his foot anymore.

Rin agreed and fled the hut.

Kagome and Sesshomaru were left in a pregnant silence that the taiyoukai was clearly not going to break first, so Kagome gave in.

"She worries about you all the time, you know."

"Your point?"

She shook her head. "No point, just an observation. Rin has stayed within the human village, just as you wished but… she's nearly an adult in the eyes of humans, now, and of marrying age. I just wanted to know what your intentions with her future are. Will she remain a priestess under my care? Will she marry? Will she return to the West with you?"

"And why your sudden interest in Rin's future, Miko? I do not see how it is any of your concern, considering Rin has not brought up the subject with me herself."

_She's probably never even thought about it, _Kagome thoughta bit unkindly. But she knew that Rin would jump at the chance to travel with her lord again. Sometimes, she wondered if Rin considered herself human, even now. "I only mention it because… well… she's been seeing an awful lot of Kohaku, recently."

Sesshomaru raised one delicate brow, but showed no other reaction. "The Taijiya boy?"

"Yes. They've known each other for a long time, and I think… I think he's… _interested _in her." Kagome admitted softly.

"And what sort of interest would you be alluding to?"

Kagome almost rolled her eyes, because Sesshomaru clearly knew _exactly _what she meant. "The kind… that leads to marriage. Would that be such a terrible idea to you?"

"As I said… if Rin should broach the subject herself, I will consider your words. Until then, there is no need for your meddling, Miko."

"It's my job to meddle. Rin is part of our village, so of course I worry about her welfare. Just try not to forget that Rin would die for you, Sesshomaru. But she needs to be reminded to live from time to time."

Sesshomaru stared at her pensively, then his yellow eyes narrowed at her. "I would worry if she left the village, Miko. There is turmoil brewing in the West. For now, Rin belongs here. There are many who would use her against me... including potential suitors. I do not have the luxury to think beyond her safety right now."

Kagome was surprised not only by Sesshomaru's candor on the subject, but also the sharp slap of the reality that Sesshomaru, no matter how imperious he seemed, was mortal just like his brother. That thought made her wince.

"I cannot say that I'm surprised. There have been many more attacks on villages, have there not? And closer to this village, too." Kagome did not directly say that Sesshomaru was losing his hold on the demons of the land, but the observation had implications. Clearly, demons were growing bolder, which meant that Sesshomaru had not asserted his power thoroughly enough. To say those words aloud would be suicide for Kagome, however.

"I assure you that affairs have not grown so dire that you need to worry. Rin is, and always will remain, under my protection."

Kagome only hoped that this would be enough.

"And mine as well."

Sesshomaru hummed his approval of her answer.

Rin soon returned with her basket, but the conversation, if one could call something so one-sided that, between Rin and Sesshomaru was awkward. The Lord soon stood and announced that he must continue the next part of his journey back to the West. Kagome walked with him to the outskirts of the village in a companionable silence. But as Sesshomaru gathered his strength to leap away, she couldn't help but ask,

"Have you gone to your brother's grave?"

Sesshomaru stared at her coldly. "I have not. It is but a scattering of ashes and soil—we demons are not nearly so sentimental as ningen."

Kagome did not believe that was true, but she didn't push the subject.

"We sent for you, you know. When he… was at the end. I thought that Tenseiga could save him. Rin told me that it was too late."

Sesshomaru expected her to sound accusing, but Kagome had come to terms with the pain, and blamed no one but herself. Besides, to hate another only made things worse. She liked to thinkt hat she and Sesshomaru were on somewhat reasonable terms—at least, he wasn't trying to kill her, even if he wasn't particularly pleasant. She often reminded herself that to achieve her primary goal, she would have to come to an understanding with the young Lord of the West, and that meant staying on his good side. That, and, seeing Sesshomaru reminded her of Inuyasha.

"I am sorry for your loss, Miko." Sesshomaru said, not waiting for a response before he launched into the sky in the direction of the forest. No condolences could have surprised Kagome more.


	3. The Warpath

**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters.**

**&.&.&.&.&.&**

Kagome had been right to worry about the state of affairs in the West. As several weeks passed, the news from neighboring villages only grew more dire. At first, there were only small cases that required her attention—she even took Rin with her on these occasions. They'd put a barrier around a village from some particularly aggressive crow demons, or healed several villagers after being attacked in the fields, or passed out paper charms in order to ward off rat demons. But then large-scale massacres began, and panic spread.

Kagome witnessed a great horror in Kasai village. She arrived in time to see it consumed by flames, a noxious smog surrounding the town. Through the smoke, she could barely make out masses of slithering forms on the ground, disappearing in the darkness of the forest beyond at her appearance. She nocked an arrow from her quiver and aimed for the retreating masses, letting the arrow surrounded by spiritual energy fly. She hit one of the forms, but it seemed to split in two at the place of contact, the rest continuing to slither away. She shot several more useless arrows into places she knew were devoid of people, clearing some of the poisonous air away.

She covered her mouth with one sleeve of her haori, her eyes stinging from the acidic air. Kagome created a purification barrier around her when the pain in her eyes became too great, and she was able to breathe easier. Ahead of her, beams tossed up cinders as they crashed to the ground, but all she heard was the screaming and the roar of the fire.

Luckily, Kasai village was very small, barely a hundred people. She helped move as many villagers to safety as she could, dozens of scorched and wounded and crying. She cleared away debris with her sword as she went, and often using her shoulders. She came across a young woman, calling out for help, with fallen board across her leg. Kagome threw her weight into moving the board with her hands, which she attempted to cover with cloth from her haori. The woman's leg was swollen, but it was only a severe bruise, and she was able to hobble in the direction that Kagome pointed.

She guided dozens of other people, rolling over the bodies of the deceased to make sure that they were really dead, until she could find no others. She coughed as she left the destroyed village to where the villagers were watching the inferno fearfully. Kagome used herbs from her medicine kit (one that she'd kept from the future) and helped the people most severely burned. Many of them, she knew, were in great agony, and might not make the night. But most would survive.

"Priestess, are you alright? Your hands…" A boy asked—Kagome estimated that he could not be any older than Rin—looking genuinely concerned. He reminded her of Kohaku with his gentle eyes, but his hair was darker.

Kagome noticed, for the first time, that her hands were raw and quite red. Several blisters were sprouting up from the heat of the beams that she'd lifted.

"Nothing to worry about. I can heal myself later." She fibbed a bit, because she wasn't really sure that she'd have enough spiritual energy left after helping all the wounded villagers.

"Do you need any supplies?"

"If you could bring me more bandages…"

"Right away!"

Kagome eased an old man through the resetting of a dislocated ankle, and then the boy came back with cloth, which he placed in her medical kit.

"Here," The boy said, holding a ceramic bowl filled with water out to her. His hands were trembling, and she smiled at him gratefully. She slipped her own irritated hands into the cool water and sighed in relief.

"Thank you. You are handling this situation very well. What is your name?"

"Yuujin." He answered.

"Have you found your family?"

"I found my sister, but… our parents were at home when the youkai attacked."

"Don't give up hope just yet. Your parents may have gotten to safety."

"I hope so." Yuujin said. He delivered water to the other villagers on Kagome's behalf, as she went around to check of the survivors. Nearly sixty villagers had been saved, and they were lucky compared to other victims of the demon attacks.

From recollections of the villagers, the attack had undeniably been orchestrated by snake demons. Kagome had never dealt with Hebi-youkai of this caliber, because they were not only great in number, but unusually large in size. They'd come without warning, a poison billowing from their mouths. The humans had been stunned by the smoke, making them easy targets. If Kagome had not shown up and scared them off with her spiritual power, clearing away much of the miasma, there would have been many more deaths.

When the smoke cleared, Kagome reassessed the damage. The village had been burned nearly completely, and they were lucky that it hadn't spread to the forest. They huddled together near the base of a great cliff, with piles of supplies and items that people had managed to save from the flames.

"You didn't tell me your name, Priestess." Yuujin interrupted her survey.

"It's Kagome."

An older man, who might have been the village head, came to bow before her. "Our village is in your debt, Lady Kagome. You look pale—at the very least, let us feed you. We can't offer much else…"

She was exhausted, but she thought that she could make it back if she replenished some of her strength. At the very least, she could still erect a barrier for herself alone.

"Thank you, that is very kind. If you could just spare a bit of rice, I'll be on my way."

"You don't think that the demons will come back?" A woman asked anxiously.

"I doubt it. But if it would make you feel better, I'd be glad to watch over you for the night." Kagome said, though in reality, she was impatient to return to Kaede's village. The attacks had been following a pattern, a direct warpath that seemed to be heading in the direction of her home.

"There is no need. You have done more than enough for us. Besides, the nearest village is just a little way down the road, we'll be alright."

"I'm heading that way, too. I'll go with you." She told them. She would lose about half a day's travel time, but she could spare it. She felt as if these scarred people were her responsibility.

The villagers seemed to let out a breath of relief at that. They salvaged some blankets and futons, giving them to the elderly first, and then handing out the rest. Yuujin found his parents and embraced them, and the family offered to share their futon and food with Kagome. She agreed, though when she tried to leave more for Sara, Yuujin's freckled sister, their mother scolded her.

"You must take better care of yourself, Miko. You're all skin and bones!"

And Kagome had nearly cried there, because Ikusei sounded so much like her own mother. Ikusei made sure that Kagome ate more than her fill. Her husband and Yuujin went to speak to the village head, leaving Kagome with Ikusei. The children got their angular features and inky black hair from their mother, but their kind eyes from the father, Ganjona.

"Don't think that I didn't notice that you've ignored your own injuries. So selfless, you miko," Ikusei chided, but warmly. She took a tin jar from the pocket of her kimono, and once opened, Kagome smelled the pungent, but sweet, smell of aloe vera cream. Ikusei dressed the sores on her hands with ointment and bandages.

"My son couldn't have found a better miko to fall in love with."

"Fall in love—Ikusei-san, he barely knows me! And he's way too young!"

"Nevertheless, he is quite taken with you. And my son will not be a boy forever. He may not look it, but he's twenty years old." She said with a wink. "I only tease, of course. Sara's behavior actually worries me more- she hasn't stopped staring at you all night."

Kagome blushed.

"Let the people adore you, Kagome. You deserve it. What good is being a miko if you don't get a little respect from it?" Ikusei said with a smile.

When Yuujin and Ganjona returned, the family asked Kagome about the state of her own village, and she told them of Miroku and Sango, and shared stories of Shippou. Ikusei countered with childish shenanigans of her own children, and they laughed and laughed. Their laughter staved off some of the edge of the other villagers, and the mood lightened considerably after that. Kagome was glad that they did not fall asleep in misery, because there was nothing that she dreaded more than that.

She stretched out beside Sara to sleep, and the girl smelled like poppies. Before she drifted off into slumber, Yuujin asked what kanji made up her name.

She told him with confusion, but he didn't explain himself. She heard a rustling of movement, but she was too tired to figure out what Yuujin was doing. Before she knew it, sleep had taken her.

She slept much later than intended, and when she woke up, most of the villagers had already packed up with belongings in cloths and tied them to the remaining mules and oxen that had survived.

_I must have been more tired that I thought, to have slept through all that noise. _Kagome thought.

When she moved her hand, she found her own medicine kit tucked in a blue cloth, her bow, and her quiver full of arrows. Kagome counted, and she'd regained the ones that she'd shot into the village.

"Sara got up early to gather those for you. And Yuujin thought this might be of use to you." Ikusei said from behind her. She pointed to another cloth, and Kagome could feel a faded demonic aura emanating from it. She peeked inside, and saw what looked like a chunk of meet, entirely covered in black scales. It was the tail of the hebi-youkai that she'd managed to hit yesterday.

"Yes, thank you. My friend, Sango, will be able to make good use of this, I think." At the very least, Sango would know about demon parts that she did.

"Then I'm glad. We're readying to get on the road, do you feel well enough, Kagome-san?"

"Definitely!" Kagome said. She hadn't woken up feeling this chipper in a long time. The villagers set out at a slow pace, but Kagome didn't mind. She would be leaving them as soon as they reached the next village.

Along the way, Kagome pointed out medicinal plants and herbs to Sara, who listened, enraptured. She thought that the girl could gather them along the way to help with the healing of burns. They reached the next village, Naruto, before nightfall. The rest of the journey would lead Kagome through the mountains. She wished that she could see the villagers settled in, but she couldn't stay any longer.

She said goodbye to Yuujin's family, though the boy was conspicuously absent. He'd been lingering in the back of the group all day.

"I'm sorry to see you go, Kagome-san. I thought that we were just getting to know each other." Ikusei said teasingly.

"Your hospitality was more than generous. I wish I could have stayed longer." Kagome said. Ikusei took her hands in hers, gently, taking care of the bandages and ointment.

"Our home is your home, Kagome-san. If you ever feel like you need a rest, find us."

"Thank you."

"Be safe, child. I hope that your village fares better than ours." Ikusei's husband said his first words to Kagome.

"Ganjo, those are such depressing words to leave the miko with!" Ikusei smacked the large man lightly on the arm. "You must forgive him. I'll leave you with better food for thought: Remember, if you're ever hard-pressed to find a husband, I'm sure that Sara would be pleased to have you as a sister-in-law."

"Ikusei-san!" Kagome groaned.

Kagome hitched her yellow backpack up over her shoulders and exited the through the other side of Naruto village. She still had several hours before the sun set.

"Wait, my Lady!"

Kagome stopped on the path, cringing at the formal way she was being addressed.

"Please, just call me Kagome." She told Yuujin when he came up next to her.

"Kagome, then." He began, out of breath. "I had to give you something."

He reached into his clothes and thrust a small figuring into her hands. She examined it and realized it was a straw doll, covered in handwritten paper seals.

"They will keep you safe. This is to keep you in high spirits, and give you strength," He pointed to the straw doll, which had the kanji for her name scrawled there, "And the paper tags are to ward off evil."

"These feel almost… sacred, Yuujin And very powerful. How did you come across these?" The clean aura surrounding the dolls and seals was like a breath of fresh air for the miko.

"I made them. I've always made little dolls like this for Sara, and they seemed to ward off demons. It's not like I've got powers like you, and I know it's not natural, but-"

"No, this is amazing… and much appreciated." Kagome said. Yuujin's gift had peaked her interest, but she didn't have time to investigate. She would ask Kaede when she got back to the village. There were men with holy powers, of course, but she'd never seen the power manifested in a physical form, except for shikigami.

"I hope that they will protect you on your journey, Kagome." He said with a bow. Kagome reached forward and ruffled his hair, and Yuujin watched her, startled, through the hair that fell over his eyes.

"We'll meet again, Yuujin-kun. You stay safe, too."

**&.&.&.&.&.&.&.&**

**Note on names:**

**Ikusei- nurturing**

**Yuujin- friend**

**Ganjona- Sturdy **

**Obviously, I really didn't know what to name the second village. It was either going to be Sasuke village or Naruto village haha.**


	4. Attack on the Village

Kagome was not idle upon her return to Kaede's village. She delivered the hebi-youkai tail to Sango, who examined the scales with a critical eye in her hut. She ran her fingers along them, using a bone dagger to peel up a few of the scales.

"I've never seen anything like it before. It's similar to a normal hebi-youkai… but I've never seen obsidian scales. They seem to be much more enforced than the average youkai, too. No human weapon could penetrate these scales. These veins, here, are full of poison."

"An enforced youkai? That sounds way to similar to something a jewel shard would do." Kagome said.

"The Shikon no Tama is gone, Kagome." Sango said firmly. "It is not that unusual for new demons to appear—it's simple evolution, after all. We must be ready in case they do attack, though."

"They released a toxic smog over the last village. It paralyzed them, and burned their lungs if they inhaled too much."

"Then I will ask Kohaku to bring us some taijiya masks. I doubt we have enough for the entire village, but at least it might do some good."

"I will prepare a sacred area in the caverns for the villagers to flee to."

"Miroku will help. He's eager to prove that he's not completely useless." Sango said fondly. Her husband had been preoccupied with their children for many months now, but had hadn't left the village in a long while after Inuyasha's death.

Kagome used this as a learning experience for some of the village girls, the miko in training. They placed branches in a circle around the mouth of a cave, and attached bells to each of them. Then they chanted for several minutes, though Miroku did most of the blessings himself. They had a place of safety should they fall under attack.

Then Kagome rode Kirara to Jinenji's farm with a sample of the hebi-youkai poison. Jinenji sniffed it and sneezed loudly.

"That is some of the most powerful poison that I have ever smelled. You must be careful if you come across these youkai again, Kagome."

"I should be that worried, huh?" She grimaced.

"Yes." The hanyou said gloomily.

Kagome stayed for dinner with Jinenji and his mother as he worked on developing some sort of antidote. Jinenji slaved over a metal pot for hours, sweat dripping down his face. Kagome appreciated his determination. There was no one she trusted more than Jinenji when it came to poison. He tried hundreds of different combinations all afternoon, but never looked satisfied. In the end, Kagome had to leave with an unfinished product, but she couldn't very well expect a miracle in a day. When Kirara indicated that she was well rested enough to return to the village, Kagome thanked Jinenji's mother for her hospitality.

Jinenji cradled a vial in his massive hands, and held it out to her. "This is not a full antidote, you understand, but it will heal a more powerful demon. Might this be used for Inuyasha?"

Kagome winced. "Jinenji-san, I'd thought that you might have known… but Inuyasha is dead."

Jinenji's sorrow most likely mirrored her own. He was one of the most sensitive and emotive youkai that she had ever come across, and she was not surprised to see several tears fall from his glassy eyes. "I am very sorry to hear that. He was a good man."

"Yes, he was. Thank you, Jinenji. This will help my village."

"I will continue to work towards a true cure, Kagome. Do come visit again, please?"

She smiled. "Of course."

Before long, Kagome's own village was covered by an acrid green smoke. It assailed them in the middle of the day, and Kagome had been drawing water by the stream when she saw it. Then there was a hissing sound that made her shudder and want to cover her ears.

_Okay, definitely hebi-youkai. _She affirmed. She tossed her water contained to the side and dashed to the village, where she ducked into her hut for her bow and arrows. She had a small sword, along with the sheathed Tetsaiga, attached to her hakama.

Kaede, Sango, and Miroku had already jumped into action. Kaede ushered the villagers in the direction of the sacred grounds, while Sango passed out taijiya masks along the way. Miroku went to hold the barrier up, keeping his children calm. Dozens of snakes were already crashing into huts and breaking homes with their tales. Kagome let loose an arrow to clear some of the smog. The hebi-youkai advanced on them—_fast. _Faster than she'd seen youkai move in a long time.

Kirara launched at the ones on front, tearing into the flesh but pulling away at the poison in their blood. Her tongue lolled a few times, but she shook it off. Kirara returned to their side, hissing in distaste.

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you." Kagome told the cat apologetically.

Sango jumped onto Kirara's back and went to attack from the air. Kagome watched them dodge darting fangs with abated breath. She nocked arrows and felled a few demons herself, but she was astounded by the sheer number of them. It was rare to see youkai work together in this way. They were left to pick them off one by one, and it was taking far to long—the village would be destroyed by the time they finished. She suddenly wished fervently that Tetsaiga would transform for her, and strike down a hundred youkai at a time.

No matter how fast she could shoot her arrows, more still came. They were being pushed further into the heart of the village. Kagome was forced to separate from Sango and evade a hebi in between two huts. It came within a few feet of her, its terrifying fangs snapping next to her head. She whirled away, slicing at its neck with her sword. Though the metal bit into flesh, it was not enough to put the hebi down. It poised itself for another strike, and just as it made a movement, a chain wrapped around its neck.

Out of the shadows, Kohaku stepped forward and sliced decisively through the remainder of the hebi-youkai's neck with his Ogama.

"Looks like I came just in time, eh, Kagome-sama?"

A bead of sweat fell down her cheek. "Your timing really couldn't have been better. Now let's go help your sister."

The two ran back into the open, and Kohaku threw himself into the fray, using his Ogama to slice into the hebi-youkai. He moved with a swiftness that proved his training had been put to good use. Sango spotted him and she landed with Kirara.

"Kohaku! What are you doing here."

"You couldn't ask me for a ton of taijiya masks without getting me worried, sister. Of course I came to help."

"Especially with Rin-chan here." Sango said slyly, and Kohaku blushed. "Here, I think Kirara wants to fight alongside _you." _She said, her focus back. Kohaku and Kirara fought as if connected in spirit, much like Sango and Kirara had many years ago. Her brother had grown into a lethal, and efficient, youkai taijiya. Sango couldn't help but feel proud as she watched her life-long companion and her brother dance together in battle.

Kagome was struck by sudden inspiration. She reached into the pocket of her hakama, where she kept the tags from Yuujin. She unfolded one carefully and waved it in Sango's face. The taijiya was distracted, and glanced at her.

"What is it, Kagome?"

"I'm not sure if this is going to work or not, but take this. Put it somewhere on your Hiraikotsu."

Sango looked doubtful, but she trusted her friend. She took the tag and attached it to the colored rope around her weapon. She threw the Hiraikotsu at the hebi, and took a surprised step back as it made contact with the youkai and created an _explosion. _The holy light, similar to that which enveloped a miko's arrows, cleaved through and disintegrated four times as many demons as the Hiraikotsu had alone.

"_Yes," _Kagome did a little fist pump. "Thank you, Yuujin!"

The Hiraikotsu found its way back to Sango's hand. "The tag doesn't seem spent yet, does it, Kagome?"

"No. It's probably got one more go left in it."

"Such power. Where did you get this paper?"

"A friend. I've only got two more, but I'd rather not waste them if I don't have to." Kagome answer. She shot a few more of her arrows. Nearly half of the hebi had been killed without too much of an effort. Most of the villagers had been evacuated already.

But then things made a turn for the worst. The hebi-youkai had stopped pouring out of the forest, but a much greater and more oppressive demonic aura was coming.

"_Oh Kami." _She heard Sango utter. She followed her friend's gaze and stared into two slit eyes growing crimson.

She gulped. "That is one giant snake." _Or maybe two? _She amended, as two more eyes blinked at her. Then finally, she realized that it was an obsidian hebi-youkai with two heads that stood nearly as nearly as tall as the trees at full height. It was more reminiscent of a dragon than of a garden snake.

Now she was a little worried.

"How the hell are we going to deal with that?" Sango said. She was already fatigued—though Sango was in good shape and still very capable, she was not in her peak physical condition these days. Kohaku had carried on the mantle in her stead. Her brother showed only slightly apprehensive at the arrival of the large youkai.

"It looks like it's waiting for something." Kagome said. Indeed, the hebi-youkai had not moved towards them at all, even as its underlings continued advancing. Kagome shot an arrow into the largest mass of the snakes, sending chunks flying and slowing them down. They were like worms becoming entangled together, forked tongues hissing at them. Sango picked a few more off with her Hiraikotsu, still powered by Yuujin's spiritual tag.

"You're right," Sango agreed thoughtfully. "But what?"

Kagome felt him before she saw him. Lord Sesshomaru had a killing intent unlike any other youkai and the battlefield—cold, precise, and utterly untouchable. It almost made Kagome shiver. Sesshomaru was walking towards them from the other side of the village at a leisurely pace.

"Sesshomaru." She tried not to sound too relieved as he came to stand a fair distance away from her, but the inu-youkai could do some major damage. Sometimes, they needed a big hitter to finish the job.

"Miko." He greeted her. But his attention was entirely on the two-headed monstrosity.

"It knows you." Kagome realized. The two headed-hebi was without a doubt more intelligent the others, and seemed to recognize the inu-youkai. Sesshomaru didn't respond, but his unwavering gaze was an admittance.

"Do you think you can kill it?"

He gave a delicate snort. "Obviously. Do you doubt this Sesshomaru?"

"Not _doubt, _per se. I just thought I'd check your confidence levels." Which are always off the charts, anyway.

"Rin…?"

"She is safe."

"I will draw the two-headed one away. You work on clearing the weaklings." Sesshomaru ordered calmly. Kagome wanted to argue, but the large youkai did seem completely fixated upon Sesshomaru, and she had the village to think about.

"Fine—but I'll come after you when we're finished."

"There's no need." Sesshomaru said. Then he leapt away and over the giant hebi-youkai, in the direction of the forest, opposite of the sacred caverns. Kagome was sure this wasn't by accident. He struck down a third of the remaining youkai, engulfing them with a wave of youki from his Bakusaiga.

_Well, that made our job easier. _Kagome thought. At least the youkai were a manageable number, now. The two-headed hebi-youkai nearly kept up speed with Sesshomaru, leaving a deep trench indented in the ground.

They killed the remaining hebi-youkai with minimal damage to the village. Sango started to follow Kagome into the forest, but she insisted that the taijiya go to check on the villagers.

"Don't worry about me—I'll be with Sesshomaru, remember?"

"I suppose so. Kohaku, let's go." She and Kohaku mounted Kirara's back. "Kagome, if you need any help—"

"I'll run away as fast as I can."


	5. The Two Headed Hebi

Sesshomaru was growing very tired of the Hebi-youkai's talking and over familiarity with him. The snake was taunting him, he knew, and that made his blood boil. He wouldn't let himself be distracted, though—he'd learned that the one who loses composure on the battlefield is generally the first to die. There was a certain way to conduct oneself with pride and dignity, after all.

"_How does it feel to see your puny empire crumble at your feet, young pup?"_ The two headed beast loomed over him, its voice grating on Sesshomaru's ears and filling the grove in the forest.

"…."

"_You've been in exile for so long, and the moment you return, you find the hebi-youkai knocking at your door. Our great clan, which you have overlooked, will destroy the House of the Clouds. You dogs will kneel before us, your muzzles in the dirt, and know the humiliation that we have felt. This is only the beginning, young Sesshomaru. Soon, you will know fear unlike you have ever felt before. You will know fear to your bones. You will know what it means to be humbled before our great God!"_

"… Stop your hissing, worm. It is giving me a headache."

"_When we are through with you, a headache will be the least of your concerns."_

_So why don't you get on with it, then? _Sesshomaru thought. He went to grip his sword.

"_For all your bravado, you seem wary of me. That is wise, though vigilance will not save your sorry hide!"_

Sesshomaru had not been watching the eyes of the snake, but rather the muscles of the spine, and upon seeing them tense, he was able to evade the hebi-yokai's first strike. Both heads came crashing down where Sesshomaru had been standing only moments before, sending up a cloud of dust. For as large as the youkai was, it was extremely fast. They fought, parrying blow for blow as Sesshomaru dodged glistening fangs, and the hebi-youkai's scaled enforced hide was barely scratched by yoki wave, or at least the giant snake was not bothered by it. Even the decomposition by his Bakusaiga seemed almost ineffectual.

And then the miko arrived on the scene, drawing attention to herself and making a big racket with her uncoordinated traipsing through the forest. She had her bow in one hand, and her quiver of arrows on one shoulder. _Only four arrows left, _Sesshomaru noted analytically. He hoped that the miko was adept at close combat as well, for he didn't want to be distracted by her safety.

Sesshomaru could see that Kagome had gained a sense of confidence since he'd last seen her in battle, though she lacked a certain—self-righteousness that many miko exuded. She was dressed in red hakama pants, her dark hair pulled away in a ponytail, but her torso was covered in the black material of sleeveless taijiya garb. But it was her eyes that impressed Sesshomaru in his assessment of his temporary ally—they were calm and fully resolved. She was no longer wide-eyed, shrieking companion of his brother. She acted like someone who could handle her own.

Not that it made Sesshomaru any less annoyed by her presence, of course.

Kagome knocked an arrow and aimed at the hebi-youkai as she stepped through the trees. "Take one step, and you're fried dog meat."

"_Puny human, you think that you can harm me?"_

"I know that I can definitely make it hurt." She replied through gritted teeth. "Just like all those villagers did when you poisoned and ate them."

"_I myself did not partake in their flesh… but the rest of my clan was very pleased by them. You ningen have the sweetest taste compared to other youkai."_

Kagome said nothing, but her eyes were a sharp as steel.

"But why now? Why are you suddenly attacking so many villages?"

"You gain nothing from your questions, miko." Sesshomaru said. "It will only try to make your attention waver."

"Do I look like I'm wavering, Sesshomaru?"

"_You have no right to speak to me at all, lowly human pest."_

"Miko…" Sesshomaru said warningly. Kagome could see that the hebi-youkai was doing _something, _and then she realized that her body was becoming very heavy as she met the mesmerizing red eyes.

"Shield your eyes. It is enchanting you." Sesshomaru said, pushing her away with an arm and blocking her line of vision with his sleeve. She instantly felt better, and her breath returned to her chest in a gasp.

"Aren't you bothered?" She wondered. Sesshomaru didn't have any trouble staring back at the snake.

"My mind is stronger than yours."

_I'll try not to take it too personally. _She thought. She yelped when Sesshomaru's arm curled roughly around her middle, jumping out of the way as the hebi-youkai lunged at them.

_I don't know whether to be insulted, or happy that he doesn't treat me like breakable china. _

They landed on a tree branch, and Kagome's stomach was in her throat when she looked down. She wondered vaguely is Sesshomaru would catch her if she fell. Below them, the youkai was curled around the base of the trunk, turning the wood into liquid with its breath, while the other head was spitting venom at them. Kagome moved closer to the center of the tree to avoid the corrosive balls.

Then suddenly, the two heads were at their level—apparently, the necks of the hebi-youkai could extend, even to this height. Kagome unsheathed her sword with her non-dominant hand, taking a clumsy swipe at the eye of one of the head as it watched her, but she was far too slow. Sesshomaru had remained on the other side of the branch, the other half of the hebi-youkai being much more aggressive towards him. Sesshomaru was pushing it away with his sword, and a forked tongue slithered around the sharp edge to leave a burning trail along the inu-youkai's face. That only served to make Sesshomaru angrier, and he barely winced.

"Your sword will be useless, its hide is nearly impenetrable." He told her through gritted teeth.

"Every barrier has a weakness." Kagome said, thinking of the red Tessaiga. Inuyasha never gave up, or fought to find solutions. Nothing was infallible, that was one lesson that Kagome had learned during her travels, even if Inuyasha had been headstrong to the point of foolishness at time. She kept her sword arm extended for a moment, but then buried the blade deep in the bark of the tree beside her. She would not win without her bow.

She jumped to a nearby branch when the head came swinging at her, and she knocked an arrow at a highly trained pace. She took note of the fact that the hebi-youkai did move to avoid the arrow when she aimed for the eye, so it was probably a weak spot.

Her limbs began to feel like stone again, and she nearly growled in frustration.

"Miko, I warned you before about looking it in the eye…" Sesshomaru said.

"I know, okay!" She shot back. A hebi head whipped around the trunk and went for her, but Sesshomaru held it by the neck with his poison whip. The hebi, still attached to the whip, pulled Sesshomaru with it, unbalancing him enough for the second head to sink its fangs into his sword arm.

"Sesshomaru!" She cried.

"Worry about yourself, miko." He said silkily, masking his pain.

But Kagome was worried about both of them, because the poison appeared to be having an affect on Sesshomaru, and she'd rather not be the cause of him losing his arm again.

"I don't need to be able to see to hit the mark." Kagome told him, and she closed her eyes. She could feel the hebi-youkai's demonic aura, acutely enough that she couldn't possibly miss. Demonic aura, she sensed in her heart more than with her eyes. Kaede had tried to explain it, and Kagome concluded that she was using a sort of sixth sense that did not obey the strict laws of time. To her, the hebi-youkai and its darkness was as easy to track with her bow as a fleeing deer. Whether her spiritual power would be enough to pierce through the scales, that was the greater question.

She felt for a path for her arrow to fly through, and then she knew exactly where to aim. Luckily, the hebi-youkai was so twisted around the trunk that it didn't have time to move its massive body very far—only the heads and neck were flexible.

Her arrow, bathed in pink light, cleaved through the center of the hebi-youkai, right between the heads, an out through the tail. It was completely split in half, and Kagome's triumph was dulled as she saw the separate halves knitting the flesh together.

_Great, I just made the threat twice as bad._

But the damage was done already, and Kagome felt the world lurch beneath her feet as the tree fell. She scrambled to hold on, suppressing a scream. She saw her sword, still stuck in the nearby tree branch, and reached for it, holding it in her fumbling hands. At least this way, she could fling herself clear of the other branches more easily. She clung on for dear life, timing her jump so that she landed on the ground further away, jarring her ankle, but in one piece. She could easily heal a fractured ankle, but a broken neck, no so much.

She was back on her feet quickly, watching for a hebi-head, but she only saw the one attacking Sesshomaru. It had pulled away after she'd split it in two, and was taking time to heal.

Kagome cried out. "Sesshomaru, aim for the eye—it's most vulnerable there!"

Sesshomaru followed her advice, taking several swings, but the hebi-youkai was determined to protect itself. It began to curl in on itself, but Kagome shot an arrow at the head, injuring it enough so that Sesshomaru could deal it a devastating blow to the skull. The wound ate away at the hebi-youkai's scales, disintegrating from the Bakusaiga's power.

"_Savor your time on this earth, mongrel. You are only putting off the inevitable. Our Lord will rise again, and then not a force on earth will be able to stop him." _The hebi-youkai said, his hiss full of malice.

Sesshomaru sniffed and with a flick of his wrist, the entire body was reduced to dust. There was not a drop of blood on his white haori, save the tear on his arm.

"Sesshomaru, we could have kept questioning it! It might have told us something more!"

"This hebi-youkai would not have spoken of more than drivel."

"But still…"

"Do not doubt this Sesshomaru." He said in a tone that left no room for argument. Kagome bristled slightly, feeling like she was being treated like a child, but she _did _trust Sesshomaru's judgment in this case.

"Where's the other half?"

"It seems it has gotten away."

"What if it goes back to the village?"

"It is heading in the opposite direction, miko." He said, as if speaking to a child.

"It might still circle around."

"I don't think that youkai has much interest in eating humans."

"So what _does _it want? And is it controlling the smaller ones?"

"I think that their only intention is to create chaos until they can complete a greater plan. That two headed hebi-youkai is waiting for the right time. But I do not think that they will attack humans for a while. They achieved their goal—to bring me out in the open. To mock me."

"How do you know so much about them?" Sesshomaru sounded awfully sure of himself, and the intentions of their enemy.

"I have been tracking the movements of the hebi-youkai for several miles."

"And you couldn't have warned us?" Kagome nearly yelled. If Sesshomaru had come to them earlier, it would have saved them a lot of grief.

"I am here now." He sounded displeased by having his actions questioned by a human girl.

"And I thank you for that, but—"

"I am returning to the West tomorrow. The House of the Cloud is very exposed, and that is the target of the hebi-youkai's next attack."

Kagome knew that the House of the Cloud was where inu-youkai, like Sesshomaru's mother, resided, but Sesshomaru himself hadn't spent much time there in many years.

"And you know this for sure?"

"They threatened me saying as much. Our defenses are already weak from a previous siege."

"Is the House really in trouble? And the inu-youkai?" This worried Kagome more than anything else she'd witnessed today.

"Perhaps. The hebi-youkai has displayed… an unexpected strength."

Kagome had already made up her mind. If the House was in danger, then that meant the West could fall to the hebi-youkai, and she couldn't let that happen. They'd been lucky until now, that the West had had lords who were sympathetic to humanity. Other parts of feudal Japan were wrought with pestilence and war on account of youkai, but the area around Kaede's village had remained relatively safe, despite the threats from Naraku and other demons. Kagome had no doubt that, given the terror that the hebi-youkai had already caused, it did not bode well for the local villages.

"I'm coming with you. I have to find the source of these youkai, Sesshomaru, and something tells me that you know more about it than you're letting on. This is a fifth village that's been attacked. Four of them had no survivors. As a miko, I have a duty to help. The hebi-youkai are a threat."

He stared disdainfully. "You will only slow me down."

"Maybe you should say that to someone who didn't just save your life."

"Aid that would not have been necessary if you hadn't put yourself in danger."

"Danger that I wouldn't have been exposed to if you'd warned us about the hebi-youkai in the first place."

Sesshomaru turned his nose up at her.

Well, this was going to be fun.


End file.
